Local Teen ran a 20k per month drug ring…

Like a junior “Scarface” or the plotline from “21 Jump Street”, an Ohio teen is accused of being one of the biggest drug traffickers in Cincinnati. Per an article in the Washington Post, at an age where most boys are getting ready for prom, 17 year old Tyler Pagenstecher pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in juvenile court.

Tyler is accused of being a major player in a large marijuana ring, one so large that it was selling over $20,000 of pot per month to fellow students in this Ohio suburb. He has been called everything from “a little czar” to “one of the most successful teenage drug dealers” in midwest history. Per the police report, while adults ran the drug ring, the juvenile drug dealer had six teenage “lieutenants” directly under his control who helped sell the pot. The teen, who admitted selling pot since he was 15, at first stayed off police radar. He avoided selling at school and would only sell from his home. Police eventually got word of him from informants and undercover agents bought drugs off Tyler on two seperate occasions.

Besides Tyler Pagenstecher, seven adults were also arrested and charged with trafficking in marijuana. They are accused of growing weed in suburban homes and a warehouse, using artifical light.

During Tyler’s arrest, police seized over 600 marijuana plants with a cash value of over $3 million dollars! They also seized over $6,000 in cash they found in the juvenile’s bedroom.

By the accounts of local teachers, Tyler was a smart student who has achieved cult-like status in his highschool for fooling the police for so long. The prosecutor for the case agrees that Tyler is intelligent and is hoping that he will dedicate himself to going straight.

What would happen to him in Florida Courts?

As Florida juvenile defense lawyers we have handled numerous juvenile cases throughout Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee and Pasco counties. The juvenile court system was made in part to help teenagers with bad choices they may make. Normally a case such as drug trafficking might result in years in prison for an adult offender. A juvenile offender may be given a more lenient sentence including probation or even a boot camp option rather then adult prison.

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